Apple and Netflix have pulled out their official appearances at South by Southwest (SXSW) 2020, the multi-discipline arts festival in Austin, TX, due to run 14-22 March.
Bloomberg reported Apple had cancelled its plans to debut three Apple TV+ projects including the Spike Jonze Beasite Boys documentary.
Variety first reported Netflix had cancelled its screenings of five films and a panel for the series #BlackExcellence with Rashida Jones.
The film “Uncorked” was due to screen, as well as the four documentaries “A Secret Love,” “L.A. Originals,” “Mucho Mucho Amor,” “Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics.” Apple was also going to debut two series called “Central Park” and “Home”.
While SXSW isn’t a tech-only festival, many presumed it would follow the likes of Mobile World Congress, Facebook F8 and Google I/O by announcing its full cancellation. But Apple and Netflix are the biggest names to act first and pull out. A similar thing happened to MWC where big brands such as LG and Sony cancelled their appearances, forcing the organisers’ hand.
It may only be matter of time before SXSW’s organisers do the same, with 11 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Texas at the time of writing. The festival showcases film, media and music with live performances, conferences and discussions throughout the town of Austin, Texas, since its conception in 1987.
Author: Henry Burrell, Phones Editor
Henry is Tech Advisor’s Phones Editor, ensuring he and the team covers and reviews every smartphone worth knowing about for readers and viewers all over the world. He spends a lot of time moving between different handsets and shouting at WhatsApp to support multiple devices at once.